Dr. SSgt (Retired) Melissa Lynne Swann passed away on December 19, 2025 at the Veterans Home in Oxford, Mississippi after a long illness.
Melissa was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico on August 25, 1962, to the late Jimmie Glenn Swann and Medgie Ann Nix both of Pontotoc, Mississippi. She graduated from Tupelo High School in 1981. After graduation she continued her education where she received a bachelor’s I degree in Psychology and master’s degree in Psychometry. She later completed her doctorate in Psychology. Before becoming disabled, she was a practicing psychologist at the Mississippi State Hospital in Jackson.
She enlisted in the Air Force National Guard in November 1985 as part of the last Magnolia Flight out of Jackson, Mississippi to Meridian Mississippi before heading to Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. It was the first time she had ever flown and the furthest she had ever been from home by herself. She served in both Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm in Iraq as an Aerospace Medical Service Technician and as a Special Operation Forces Medic.
Melissa enjoyed watching her nieces, Lindsey and Courtney play competitive tennis and her great niece and nephews in all of their activities. She was an enormous Elvis Presley fan winning more than one talent show doing her Elvis impersonation.
A celebration of life with full military honors will be held on Tuesday, December 23, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Warren Cemetery in Hurricane, Mississippi with Bro. Jason Watts presiding. Visitation will take place from 9:00 a.m. until 10:30 a.m. at Tutor Memorial Funeral Home in Pontotoc. Pallbearers will be Buddy Collins, Linzy Patterson, Harper Patterson, Andreas Guentner and Cameron White.
Dr. Swann is survived by her sister, Sungja Swann Collins (Buddy) of Fulton, Mississippi; brother; David Taylor of Plant City, Florida; five nieces: Lindsey Patterson (Linzy) of Amory, Mississippi; Courtney Collins-Guentner (Andreas) of Murfreesboro, Tennessee: Ashley Hallmark (Mathew) Plant City Florida; Kelsey Griffin (Alex) Columbia, South Carolina; Shelby Taylor, Fayetteville, North Carolina; two nephews: Travis Taylor, Clearwater, Florida; Ian Taylor, Brandon, Florida; one aunt; Charlotte Holloway (Johnny) Pontotoc, Mississippi; one uncle: Don Allen (Sheila) Memphis, Tennessee: Two great nieces: Collins Patterson; Addilee Marie Griffin; four great nephews: Harper Patterson; Foster Patterson; Luca Guentner; Levi Guentner; Bodi Griffin.
Special friends: Debbie Alexander, Lyn McKeithen, Diane Edwards.
The family extends their heartfelt gratitude to the doctors, nurses and CNAs at the VA who cared for Melissa with caring dedication. We also want to thank Stephanie Crumpton, Dayka Briscoe, Bro. Jason Watts and Enhabit Hospice for their compassionate support during her final days.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Amory Animal Resource Center in Amory Mississippi or Tupelo Small Animal Hospital, Tupelo, Mississippi.
